Scott Schlarbaum

Dr. Scott Schlarbaum, a James R. Cox Professor of Forestry and Director of the UT Tree Improvement Program, inspired the Butternut Valley Nature Center program because of his childhood interests in nature. In his youth, he developed his naturalist skills by working at at several nature centers in Nebraska, his home state.
     Dr. Scharbaum put his naturalist interests aside while he pursued a career in Forestry, which led him to UT. Although he kept to the forestry genetics lab early in his career, he never lost his interest in teaching children about nature. His chance to exercise his first love reappeared when he began his research with the largest known remaining stand of butternut trees in the southeast, which is located on the BVNC property.
     With his very first visit before the K-12 program began, Dr. Schlarbaum felt an immediate connection and visualized a nature education program. Today, the BVNC continues to grow in its success as an environmental education program and Dr. Schlarbaum is allowed a window to exercise his childhood dreams.